


Merthur Prompted Drabbles

by FleetofShippyShips



Series: Prompted Merthur Works [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Canon Era, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-19
Updated: 2017-10-24
Packaged: 2018-12-16 20:59:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 1,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11836944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FleetofShippyShips/pseuds/FleetofShippyShips
Summary: Prompted Merthur drabbles <1k long from my blog.





	1. "Oh yeah, you really told him, didn't you?"

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter title is the prompt line for the drabble, and any additional detail is in the chapter notes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by michaelssw0rd.

“Oh yeah, you really told him, didn’t you?”

“Shut up, Merlin.”

“No, really, that was terrifying! I think you almost made him wet himself,” Merlin continued, as he set his magic about weakening the prat’s chains.

“I’m warning you, Merlin!” Arthur hissed.

“Ooh, I’m so scared, all the way in another cell,” Merlin taunted, glad Arthur couldn’t see him, for his eyes would surely be glowing as he felt along his chains with magic. There was a weak link, and he weakened it further. “Why don’t you follow up? Surely a big burly prince like yourself can break free of a pathetic chain to teach me a lesson. Or is that fat, and not muscle? I have always suspected...”

Shocked silence, and then, the sound of a chain breaking. Merlin smirked to himself as Arthur broke down the door, and guards came rushing, and then started screaming. He was so easy.


	2. "Is it just me... or is there an *abnormally* large worm in the garden?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by starshaping.

Merlin dropped the pot he was examining.

“Is is just me… or is there an  _ abnormally  _ large worm in the garden?”

As usual, Arthur ignored him. Meanwhile, the… _ thing _ in the garden was starting to wriggle towards the cottage.

“ _ Arthur _ .”

“I’m no mood for your attempts at humour, Merlin,” Arthur said, still rifling through the shelves on the other side of the one room cottage.

The creature outside moved over some crates, and the breaking wood finally drew Arthur’s attention. He stared out the doorway.

“What is god’s name is that?”

“The abnormally large worm I was talking about!” Merlin snapped, trying to recall any kind of spell that might be of use, but also unlikely to be noticed.

“I thought you were making some stupid innuendo,” Arthur said, drawing his sword.

Merlin shot him an incredulous look. “About a worm? In a  _ garden _ ?”

“Just shut up, and head out the back! I’ve got this!”

 

* * *

“Giant worms that form two worms if cut in half? Are you sure? They weren’t snakes by chance?”

Merlin nodded, rubbing some salve on his burns and bruises, while Gaius kept searching through his books. “Definitely worm-like. I couldn’t see a mouth though, so I don’t think they ate anybody. So it doesn’t explain where all the villagers went. But they’re very heavy, and they secrete some kind of acid when they’re cut.”

Gaius shook his head at him. “How do you find these things, Merlin?”

“Arthur was the one who wanted to investigate that village!” Merlin snapped. “I didn’t ask for there to be a giant demon worm hiding in one of the gardens!”

“Well, at least you only cut it once,” Gaius muttered. “The two can’t have gone far.”

Merlin winced. “There are eight now.”

Gaius raised an eyebrow at him.

“Arthur did it! I told him to stop cutting it! He never listens!”


	3. "You're going to need to calm down."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by whispurdmusings.

“You’re going to need to calm down.”

Arthur turned on him. “I’m the king! No one tells me to calm down!”

Merlin rolled his eyes, and didn’t bother moving as Arthur stepped close into his space.

“Calm down,  _your Highness_ ,” he said.

Arthur scowled, but let the impertinence slide. He made a sharp gesture behind him. “And how am I supposed to explain this to the court, _Merlin_?”

Merlin looked past him. The flowers had only grown more during Arthur’s shouting. Sprouting from any and every crack in the floors, walls, and ceiling. Vines dangled down from above, brilliant purple flowers in bloom.

“The palace was looking dreary, sire?” Merlin responded, trying to fight the wave of heat threatening to redden his face. “You had me redecorate for you?”

“Flowers?” Arthur snapped. He looked up. “From the ceiling?”

Merlin looked up. He really had no idea how he’d done this, but behind the embarrassment was some pride. Growing things was something he had trouble doing on purpose.

“What on earth were you trying to do?” Arthur continued, looking down and shaking one leg to dislodge the flowery vine that was starting to curl around it. “You absolute, idiot!”

“Not this,” Merlin muttered, keeping his posture loose. If Arthur sensed his embarrassment, the tone of the conversation would rapidly turn towards mocking him. He already had a long night ahead of him, fixing this mess.

Arthur growled, reaching down and ripping the vine off his leg to thrust it into Merlin’s face.

“Some court sorcerer you are! I fought a rebellion to put you in this position,” Arthur hissed, tossing the plant to the side, and making another angry gesture. “And you give me _flowers_?”

“You had a very different reaction when I gave you that flower on your last hunting trip,” Merlin said, tilting his head to side, and smirking at him. “I thought you liked flowers?”

Arthur’s cheeks flushed pink. “That’s different! That’s… One flower is nice. One flower is rom—” Arthur's mouth shut with a click, and Merlin continued to smirk at him. He loved to make him admit things like that. Arthur’s expression darkened again. “This is idiotic, Merlin! Fix it!”

“Are you sure?” Merlin teased, gesturing around him. “The ladies of the court would love this.”

Arthur grit his teeth. “ _Fix it!_ ”

“Of course, _Sire_ ,” Merlin said, performing a mockingly low bow.

Arthur made another angry sound, and stomped off to the doors leading out of the hall. Merlin watched with a smirk, as Arthur reached down and snatched up a bunch of flowers as he passed, before yanking open the door, and storming through the crowd gathered outside.


	4. “Arthur… I’m going to murder you. I’m going to literally rip you into pieces if you don’t fix this RIGHT NOW.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by starshaping.

“Arthur…”

Arthur raised both eyebrows, and waited. He wouldn’t have to wait long. Merlin’s struggle with acting appropriately, with respect to rank, never lasted long.

It was a constant source of amusement, and welcome relief after everyone else tiptoeing around him. No that he’d ever admit that out loud to Merlin.

“I’m going to murder you. I’m going to literally rip you into pieces if you don’t fix this  _right now_! I can’t do this for even one more day!”

Arthur bit his lip to stop himself from laughing at how red Merlin’s face was. It matched his robes.

“Threatening the heir to the throne…” He shook his head. “Merlin, are you trying to get yourself executed?”

Merlin stomped over, and prodded him in the chest with one finger.

“Royal prat or not, I will not stand for this! You can stop this!”

Arthur clenched his hands behind his back to stop himself from tugging on Merlin’s ears. They always looked so endearing, sticking out from under that hat.

“Don’t you think you’re overreacting? It’s a great honour to wear the ceremonial robes, and serve our honoured guests.”

Merlin’s mouth flapped a bit, as he struggled for words. Making an angry sound, he gestured at the ridiculous robes.

“You call this a great honour? Would you like to wear them then?”

Arthur couldn’t stop a snort of laughter escaping him, and Merlin’s eyes narrowed.

“You arse! You’re enjoying this!”

Losing control, Arthur started laughing so hard he almost fell over. Every time he looked at Merlin, the grumpy, sullen look on his face only set him off again.

“I’m really going to murder you,” Merlin muttered darkly, after a while. “In your sleep. When you won’t see it coming.”

Arthur grabbed his shoulder to lean on, wiping at his eyes, and trying to breathe.

“It’s just for two weeks.”

“You can still stop this! Demand that I be assigned back to you! Two weeks is two weeks too long!” Merlin hissed. “I can’t wear these for two weeks, everywhere I go.”

Arthur looked over the robes again. “Why not? They’re a great honour.”

He had in fact tried to intervene with his father on multiple occasions, even if only to save himself his own gruesome fate during the duration of these peace talks.

“A great honour would be murdering you in your sleep!” Merlin muttered. “I look ridiculous. These aren’t functional. The hat is ridiculous. Not to mention, how are you going to cope while I’m off serving guests instead of you? It’s only been one day, how have you managed?”

Arthur grimaced. “Father assigned George to serve me while you’re be busy with our guests. Lending them the manservant to the prince is a great honour, after all.”

Merlin’s expression cleared. Arthur scowled at him. He really wished Merlin would go back to being jealous about George, instead of gleeful every time Arthur had to deal with him. And his face  _was_ becoming gleeful.

“I see,” Merlin said, his expression now bright and cheerful. “You will be in good hands then.”

Arthur cuffed the back of his head, knocking the stupid ceremonial hat off.

“ _Shut up, Merlin!_ ”


	5. “You’ve got about as much charm as a dead slug.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by starshaping.

“You’ve got about as much charm as a dead slug,” Merlin said, not even bothering to pull himself up out of the mud.

Beside him, Arthur floundered for a few moments. He almost found his feet, but then slipped again.

“I am a prince,” he slurred, his hand smacking Merlin’s chest in his attempt to make some sort of gesture. “Charm is my… it’s… I do it. A lot.”

Merlin snorted despite himself. He never could stay angry with Arthur when he was drunk.

“You’re a drunkard. Lying in the mud.”

“Stocks. Tomorrow. Remind me.”

Merlin chuckled again, turning his head to the side, and looking over. Arthur was lying close, and turned his head too. He already had mud smeared up the side of his face, and that relaxed, almost sleepy expression he got when he was particularly drunk. Along with that warmth that came with the absence of anyone else in the vicinity. That particular warmth he only showed when he looked at Merlin.

“You really shouldn’t have mentioned his chickens,” Merlin said, not even trying to hide how smug he was. “I did tell you.”

Arthur squinted at him. “Of course, you know… all the…”

Merlin raised an eyebrow, but Arthur seemed to have lost that line of thought. Snorting again, Merlin rolled over, and pushed himself up onto his hands and knees. Looking behind him, he saw the door to the tavern was shut, and there was no one near the windows. A quick sweep of the rest of the area showed it to be likewise empty.

The perks of being out so late.

Without pause, he leaned over, and kissed Arthur quickly. “Time to get you back to the castle, dollophead.”

Arthur grinned up at him. “I like it when you do that,” he said. “But don’t… don’t tell anyone.”

Merlin snorted, and began hauling the drunken idiot to his feet. “The kissing, or the insulting?”

Arthur sighed, and leaned heavily against him, as Merlin started shuffling them in the direction of the castle.

“You being you,” Arthur muttered. “Everyone else is… boring. You’re… you.”

“I’ll remind you that you said that, the next time you have a go at me about being boring and stupid,” Merlin said cheerfully. “I always knew you loved it when I insulted you. Prat.”

When he was sober, Arthur had the most amusing reactions to the things he said while he was drunk. It usually got Merlin extra chores when he brought them up, but it was always worth it.

“ _S_ _tocks_. Remind me.”

“Of course,” Merlin said soothingly, patting Arthur’s shoulder, as he led him towards the castle.


End file.
